I'm with you, Ren. And at leadt Liz would still have the photo!

Hi. A little question.
It's only a song or it's a love tradition,too.

joecali, It is all based on the well known song, which you probably know. The 12 Days of Christmas I don't think I would be very happy if a guy bought me all those things. What the heck would you do with "12 Drummers Drumming"? (Don't anybody answer that, this is a family site.)

I heard that the song may have been created during the Religious Wars of the 16th Century as a cryptic means of teaching English children their catechism.





Ten Tired Tulips.
They were fresh and pretty when my grandson gave them to me on Christmas Day.
Teddy's looking the worse for wear also.

It has been claimed that the song is a mnemonic for the tenets of the Catholic faith, but Snopes disagrees.

I received a lovely present from a scrapbooking pal: 10 individual little bits and pieces, just for my pleasure:

Ooh, good pal!

...Ten endangered pennies...



Word is that the humble penny may soon be scrapped in Canada, partly because it costs one and one half cents to make a coin worth one cent!

Ten different types of Christmas sweets

Zorba: uh-oh, MORE things that are too pretty to eat LOL (p.s. I love your table!)

On the tenth Day of Christmas...
TEN snow white lilies:

Liz; Australia's one and two-cent coins were phased out several years ago. I think five-cent coins will go soon.

Sharon; Scrumptious looking sweets - lovingly hand-made, I would guess.

Jakeroo; My first job was a junior assistant in a maternity ward. Liliums were often in the mothers' bouquets, which I tended and watered daily. I have loved lilies ever since.
(It was a Presbyterian hospital, so I was also introduced to Haggis - but that's another story).





Eleven slices of Christmas Cake.

Good gracious Auntie, such will power! Mine was gone by Monday!

...Eleven cuddly teddies (including one in a Santa hat, holding a present)...

May I just say, I've been loving all these pictures All the food looks really delicious. And those teddy bears are so cute, Liz!

11 favourite earrings ( Well, I am searching the vacuum cleaner bag for the other "Hohoho" one. )
Thanks Minkpenny They are all great, I think.

Ren: those are SO cute. I've always been envious of folks with pierced ears (it's the ONLY part of my body I would consent to having holes in it ... besides the space between my ears that is lol), but I have several metal allergies, sigh. Anyway, I really hope you find the missing hohoho!

Auntie: Lilies are in my top 5 as well. If it wasn't for their AMAZING pollen staining talents, they'd probably be number one lol (shortly after that picture I cut off the stamens... um sorry guys no offence lol)

and haggis? oh my I'd like to hear that story! Speaking of which, 3 of my 4 grandparents were Scottish, sooooooooooo....

On the eleventh day of Christmas ...
ELEVEN Scottish Shortbreads



(this was supposed to be 12, but I ate one before I took the picture lol)

Well done for only eating one! As to metal allergies, apparently painting the hooks with clear nail polish or varnish works as that way you are not touching metal. I have had real fun with earrings. My class always check which ones I am wearing today. At one time I could go a few months with a different pair every day.

TWELVE months to go before we do it all over again!

And a very Happy Christmas to those who celebrate according to The Orthodox Calendar, whose Christmas Day is January 7th.

Mmmhmmm Haggis!!! One of the great foods to come from Scotland, alongside Tablet, Shortbread and Edinburgh Rock, though I'm sure none of them are exactly healthy!!!

I'll have to take a 12 photo for today ... but time is running away on me again

Wonderful haggis! Who said they had some?

...Twelve plump grapes...



These have already been eaten, on New Year's Eve, in my attempt to keep the Spanish tradition on wolfing down 12 grapes at midnight They were lovely and sweet, too.


This theme has been tremendous fun, thank you whoever thought of it!

Ren: yes on the nail polish thing. I did that for 20 years so that I could wear a watch with a nickel-plated back. I no longer wear a watch at all. Silver, platinum and anything electroplated aren't good either. I'll just keep my hair long (even though it's gray) and hide my ears altogether lol, it's easier.

Liz: do the 12 grapes bring luck? Does it have to be only 12? Am curious, am fascinated by "traditions". And yes, they DO look luscious!

Unlike the rest of you who are so organised and able to pre-plan (not to mention having more willpower lol), I don't have enough of anything left in the "treats" category to post for 12. We've eaten them all lol.

Sooo, on the twelfth day of Christmas...
TWELVE pelicans paddling



(I'm going to experience mild withdrawal now that this theme has ended. Thanks so much for suggesting it - was fun!)

Yes, the grapes are to bring luck. The tradition is really to try to eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the coming year, as the clock strikes twelve. I usually give myself a bit of leeway, especially with such fat grapes!

Liz, I think your 12 plump grapes are a very fitting end to this thread. My decorations are all down, as is correct for 6th Jan. It was a fantastic idea, thanks Toni(Santana) and thanks so much for all your clever and lovely photos. I will close it in the next few hours and start a new two week theme on Sunday. Thanks again all!